Thomas w



'I'. W. DEFREES. UAR GOUPLING.

Patented June '7, 1870.

y @JIU @sind ,Sintra @met @imita .THOMAS wnnr'anns or scorn BEND,INDIANA.

Letters Patent No. 103,850, dated June 7, 1870.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesama LTHoMAs W. Dnrnnns, of South Bend, in the v county of St. Josephand State ot' Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement inCar-Gouplings, of which the following is a specification.

Nature and Obi'cts of the Invention.

locked position.

Fifth, in themode of constructing and combining the clutches, buffers,and clasp-hooks, as hereinafter described.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure l is a plan or top` view of my improved coupling, partly insection.

Figure 2 represents a side 4elevation of the same, partly in section.

A A are clutch-hooks, attached, by vertical' pivots a a, to thecar-frame, so as to adapt them to move toward and `from`e'ach other in ahorizontal plane.

Arms A', projecting laterally from the heels ofthe hooks, are acted onby springs G, tending to press the said arms outward, and, consequently,to throw the heads ofthe hooks toward each other, and canse them tointerlock.

B B are concave-faced buffers, pressed outward by gum or other springs DD, and adapted to' receive the impact of the hooks A A, when the latterare in their operative position, or of each other when the hooks areretracted. y

The retraction of the hooks is effected by means of chains E E, whichmay be wound up on shafts F, by 4 means 'of hand-wheels G, or suitablecranks.

lhe shafts F are provided with the ratchet-wheels O, to be engaged bypawls P, similar to those commonly employed to secure the brakes".

In' grooves hl h, inthe buffer-heads, are pivoted retaining-hooks H H,which fall into elongated eyes I I on the backs of the clutch-hooks vA Ain such a manner as to prevent the accidental escape ot' the said hooksone from the other, but permit their longitudinal motion between eafchother and the buffer-heads as the cars run together or draw apart while'coupled.

The clasp-hooks H may be elevated by chains t, or other means.

The buffer-heads are provided with houzontal slots and pins P, forconnecting them, by means of common links, with cars not provided withmy improved coupling.

Operation.

As the cars move together, the oblique sides ofthe clutch-hooks A,coming in contact with each other, canse the said hooks to be pressedapart laterally' in a horizontal plane unt-il they spring intoconnection, each hook striking the opposite buffer-head simultaneously.Tile clasp-hooks H are then thrown over into the eyes I. l

When thefcars areto be unconpled, either while in motion or at rest, thehooks H are drawn up and allowed to fall back, an'd the clutch-hooks Amay then be drawn apart, with any necessary force, by means of thewinches F G, and may be scheld by the pawls N engaging in ratchet-wheelsO, as shown by dotted lines in lig. 1.

The retractionof the hooks may, if preferred, be effected by levers atthe sides of the cars.

While the clutch-hooks are in this position, the

buffers B may come together, and be connected by a' link and pin, so asto serve as common draw-heads.

The engaging faces of the clutch-hooks A, being slightly dovetailed' orlinclined backward, causes the said hooks to interlock with perfectsecurity while in operation, without any strain on the clasp-hooks H,but the said clasp-hooks are useful to preclude the possibility of theclutch-hooks separating accidentally under any unusual or sudden jar.

The construction and relative arrangement of the hooks A insure theirlocking together without fail when the cars are run together, althoughthe two cars may vary in height or in parallelism, either vertically orhorizontally.

The concave buifer-heads operate in connection with the hooks A withperfect success to preyent jar, or when the hooks are retracted they actwith equal effect against each other.I

Claims'.

I claim as my invention-- I. lhe hooks A and springs C, in combinationwith separate buffers B, when the said hooks are pivoted to the frame'independently of the bnfiers, and the parts are constructed and arrangedsubstantially as herein described1 so that the hooks and buffers may actin connection, or the hooks being drawn en tirely aside, the. buffersmay come together and receive y a common link and pin-connection.

2.- 'lhc clasp-hooks "H and eyes I, in combination with the clutch-hooksA, for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination'of the clutch-hooks A, springs O, buffers B,clasp-hooks H, and eyes I, substantially as and for the purposesspecied.

Witnesses: '15. W. DEFREES.

. WM. H. BRERETON, Jr.,

I. SCHEITLIN.

